Too Fast
by Kenna Monster
Summary: Bart's sent on a mission that has terrible consequences.
1. Chapter 1

His legs burned but it was easy enough to ignore. He could handle the assignment, no matter what Oliver or the rest of the guys said about him. He wasn't a kid anymore; not after joining Oliver's little gang of heroes. He refused to just be a thief for the rest of his life. For the first time, he felt that he had meaning.

So what if that meant he was the one sent into the dangerous situations simply because he could run away if something went wrong? He was the fastest person alive, after all.

_"Impulse, do you copy?"_ Oliver's voice was loud in his ear, suddenly breaking through his jumbled thoughts.

_"Come on kid, I know you can hear me."_ Oliver continued. He never was the type to wait patiently for a response.

"Not…a kid!" Bart panted, regretting saying anything.

_"Bart! Please come back,"_ Clark's voice was there, meaning that everyone was in Watch Tower following his every move. Instead of making him feel cared about, it only made him feel more like a child in their eyes.

Bart tried to focus his breathing, keep pumping his arms as his legs started screaming at him to rest, but he knew he wouldn't be able to keep this up much longer. He'd been going non-stop for two days and his body wasn't strong enough for that. He knew that. Oliver knew that. That didn't mean he was going to stop anytime soon.

_"Bart, stop being stupid!"_ Oliver shouted, his frustration coming out. Bart would've laughed if he had any breath to spare. It was hilarious that the leader of the gang was suddenly worried about him. Oliver had willingly sent Bart into a situation that he knew was beyond dangerous, possibly beyond Bart's skill level to handle. Chloe and Clark had both voiced their opposition, but Bart had agreed to the mission and refused to back down. No one was going to call him a kid ever again.

_"Bart?"_ Chloe's voice was soft, sparking something and Bart stumbled, his legs too weak to keep him steady anymore. He stopped, standing in a field somewhere outside of Mexico City. His legs felt like jello, barely holding him up, but he refused to show any sign of weakness. He wasn't going to pass out.

"What?" he asked, his dry throat scratchy.

"_Bart, come back. It was an accident, you didn't mean it, we all know that. You have nothing to prove to us,"_ Chloe said, speaking Bart's worst fears. He knew the rest of the team thought he was a kid and couldn't handle big missions on his own. He was surprised it had taken him as long as it did before he made a mistake. Hell, he'd expected to be kicked out a long time ago.

"Chloe?" he whispered, the small remnant of his energy quickly fading.

"Yah Bart, I'm right here," Chloe said, her voice strong in his ear. He closed his eyes.

"Can you come get me?" he asked, knowing that he sounded like a 5 year old but he was beyond being too tired to care. His knees buckled and he crumpled to a heap on the dusty ground. He could see his hand lying close to his face, his fingers caked in dried blood. The blood of the man he'd killed.

The last thing he remembered was Chloe calling his name.

"Exhaustion, minor concussion, dehydration, dislocated shoulder…he's lucky. It could've been a lot worse," a strange man's voice said, filtering through the cotton in Bart's head. He shifted, groaning slightly. His whole body ached, one giant bruise covering every inch of him.

"Bart?" someone else asked, and he thought he recognized the voice as Oliver's. "Bart, we need you to open your eyes."

Bart tried, his eyelids feeling like they were each held down by a ton of bricks. Slowly he opened them, blinking a few times in the bright light.

"How do you feel?" the man asked, placing something cold on Bart's chest. That's when he realized he was lying on the infirmary bed in Watch Tower, wearing a pair of blue sweats and no shirt. Electric leads were on his chest and an IV was in the crook of his right arm.

"What…" Bart asked, his voice dry from lack of use.

"We used your GPS signal to find you and bring you back here. You've been unconscious for four days," Oliver said, all business.

Bart sat up, his vision blacking out. He closed his eyes and grabbed his head in his hands, willing himself to stay conscious. He refused to look weak in front of them.

"Hey, Bart, can you hear me?" Clark was asking, and Bart had a feeling he had been saying Bart's name for a while.

"Yah, I hear you," Bart quipped, looking up at the team. The doctor once again placed the stethoscope on his chest, listening to his breathing.

"Dude, I'm fine," Bart snapped, just wanting everyone to leave him alone. He felt too exposed, with all of them standing around him watching him.

"You're so not fine," Victor said.

"He's right, you were beyond thrashed," AC added.

"You almost died," Chloe said. Bart refused to look at her, to see the worry in her eyes.

"Well, I think with some rest you should be just fine," the doctor said, checking the IV line before turning to Oliver. "When I say rest, I mean no exertion of any kind. Keep him calm."

Bart had the IV pulled out of his arm and the leads off his chest before anyone had blinked, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and standing up before anyone could stop him.

Thankfully Clark was right there to catch him when all the color drained from his face and he collapsed. Clark got him back on the bed, and Bart laid back against the pillows, wishing the world would stop spinning long enough for him to get his bearings.

"I said rest!" the doctor admonished, quickly inserting a new needle into the IV then Bart's arm. Bart tried to argue, but suddenly everything was slightly out of focus. He blinked up at the team, wondering why they looked so worried, before he blacked out.


	2. Chapter 2

_The man came out of nowhere, running forward with gun raised. A pair of hands pushed him and he stumbled, falling backwards. The sound of a gunshot then…_

"NO!" Bart screamed as he jerked upright, brain frantically trying to understand his surroundings. He didn't know where he was, but he had to get to the man, had to help him, it was all his fault.

He stumbled to the door, not sure why his legs didn't want to work properly or why his head felt so fuzzy. Ignoring it, he opened the door and used the wall for support as he walked down the hall, stubbornly refusing to stop and let his heart catch up with his body. It was racing, pounding almost as loud as his pulse.

"Bart? What are you doing out of bed?" Chloe asked as she walked up the stairs and saw him leaning heavily against the wall.

Bart looked at her, trying with all his might to stay upright, but he knew it was a losing battle. He slowly slid down the wall, unable to look away from her. She rushed to his side, her eyes full of worry as she kneeled in front of him.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I…I saw him…" Bart said, his voice tight. He looked down, desperately trying not to cry.

Chloe took his face in her hands and forced him to look at her. "It was just a dream," she said softly. His hazel eyes swam with tears and she hugged him to her, feeling the warmth radiating from him. Her worry skyrocketed.

"I'm going to go get Oliver," Chloe said, leaning back. Bart nodded, closing his eyes and leaning his head against the wall. He looked so small and lost and she wanted nothing more than to fix everything, but she knew what he needed most at the moment was rest and a hallway floor wasn't the place for that.

Standing up, she hurried back to the main room, glad that Oliver and Clark had decided to stay the night just to make sure everything was okay.

"What's wrong?" Clark asked, standing up when Chloe rushed into the room.

"It's Bart, he's in the hall. I think he's getting worse," she explained. Clark and Oliver followed after her to where Bart was still leaning against the wall.

"Bart?" Clark asked, kneeling in front of him. Bart's eyes were closed but he opened them, looking at Clark and Chloe and Oliver. "How are you feeling?"

"My head hurts, and I'm hot," Bart replied, skating over the fact that it felt like someone was drilling the inside of his skull, or how he was hot one moment and freezing cold the next.

"Let's get you back in bed," Clark said, easily picking Bart off the floor and carrying him back to the infirmary. Chloe opened the door and Oliver followed, pulling his cell phone out.

"Do you want anything to drink?" Chloe asked. The doctor had removed the IV before he left, feeling that Bart's liquid intake would pick up once he was awake. Clearly that wasn't the case.

"No," Bart mumbled, closing his eyes. He was just so tired.

A cold hand on his forehead jerked him awake and he looked up at Chloe. She smiled weakly at him, trying to hide how scared she was.

"The doctor's on his way," Oliver said, closing his phone. He looked at Bart. "Try to get some rest, he'll give you something to help with the fever once he gets here."

"I've never had a fever before," Bart said, wondering why everyone suddenly looked so concerned. It didn't seem that out of the ordinary to never get sick. But the more he thought about it, he'd never felt the way he did at that moment. Sure, there'd been times when he was tired and had needed a few hours of extra sleep. But when he woke up, he was always full of energy and ready to face the world. Now, the idea of running made him feel even more tired, if that was possible.

He closed his eyes, hoping the doctor would hurry.


	3. Chapter 3

"…too high…need to bring it down…"

"…get ice…"

Suddenly Bart's world erupted as ice packs were laid all over his body. Squinting in the bright light, he tried to push one of the ice packs off his chest but someone's hand stopped him. He looked up at Oliver, blinking heavily.

"Bart, can you hear me?" the doctor from earlier was asking him, looking at him closely. Bart nodded, and decided not to do that again. The pounding in his head ratcheted up to a whole new level of pain.

"Can you tell me how you're feeling?" the doctor asked.

"Thirsty," Bart whispered, his voice practically gone. He licked hiss lips, shocked at how dry they felt. If that was how it felt to be sick, he hated it.

"That's from the fever, I've started you on an IV again to try to help bring it down," the doctor explained. Bart closed his eyes, his brain moving too sluggishly to care what the man was telling him. All he wanted to do was sleep.

"Bart, I need you to stay awake for me," Oliver said, gently shaking Bart's shoulder. Bart opened his eyes, amazed at the effort it took.

"When you were in the facility, did you touch anything?" Oliver asked. He saw the flicker of pain cross Bart's face and instantly knew what the kid was thinking about.

"It was an accident," Bart whispered, his eyes welling up with tears. He hadn't meant for the man to get hurt, but he had a gun and was running at him and then it went off when he fell backwards…

"Bart! Take a deep breath for me, in and out nice and slow, there you go," the doctor said, and Bart heard the fast beeping noise coming from somewhere nearby. Slowly he relaxed, willing away the horrible image burned into his mind.

Oliver turned to Chloe. "Have AC and Victor go check out the facility, see if they can find anything. And check the footage to see if we missed anything about what was going on there." Chloe hurried from the room.

"Bart, did you touch any chemicals when you were in the facility?" the doctor asked, needing an answer.

"The guy…there was something on his coat…from when the gun…" Bart couldn't finish the sentence, looking up at Clark and Oliver with such a lost look on his face that neither wanted to push him for more details.

"I'll run a full blood work, but I'll have to go back to my office to do so. It shouldn't take too long," the doctor said, pulling out a needle and glass vial. Bart closed his eyes, feeling the prick on his arm. He heard the door open and close, and when he opened his eyes again Clark and Oliver were the only ones in the room, standing a little ways away from his bed.

"Are we sure we can trust the doctor?" Clark asked.

"He knows what would happen to him if he ever let anything slip about this," Oliver replied in a harsh voice.

"Do you think Victor and AC are going to find anything?" Clark asked.

"There's nothing left to find," Oliver said. He sighed heavily. "The whole place was destroyed. I doubt the bomb Victor left would miraculously not work so they could find the guard's body."

"I'm sure the doctor will be able to give us some answers at least," Clark said.

Oliver laughed. "Answers that might not help at all. Just because we know what's causing his sickness doesn't mean we have a cure. Last time I checked, Lex hates all of us and would gladly see one of us die."

Bart heard the door open. "I found something," Chloe said softly. "Part of the facility wasn't being monitored by cameras and I thought it was under development, but actually it was a storage space. That's where the guard was stationed, and I'll bet that's where he picked up whatever chemical Bart cam e in contact with."

A cell phone ring echoed loudly in the room and Bart opened his eyes, looking over at the group huddled by the door. Oliver was listening to whoever was on the phone.

"Alright, run it a second time and then call me if you find anything new," Oliver said before hanging up. "The doctor found a chemical in Bart's blood that he's never seen before. He's going to run the test a second time but I'm pretty sure that's what's causing all of this."

"What do we do?" Clark asked.

"Hope AC and Victor find something," Oliver replied.

"What if they don't?" Bart asked, his voice rough. Clark, Oliver and Chloe all looked at him, shocked to see him still awake.

"We'll figure it out. You just rest," Chloe said, coming over to his bed and rubbing his hair back from his sweaty forehead. The motion was soothing, and Bart closed his eyes, hoping that some sleep would make him feel better. He was just so tired.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: This Chapter explains the inhibitor and is a little longer, let me know what you think! **

Bart slowly opened his eyes in the semi-darkness, a small lamp on the table by his bed the only light in the infirmary. He felt a little better than before, but his body still ached and his chest felt constricted. He coughed as he sat up, a deep racking cough that made his chest burn. Struggling to get air into his lungs, he stubbornly swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up.

The room tilted but Bart closed his eyes and waited for the world to settle down. Once he felt like he wasn't swaying, he made his way to the door and down the hall. Most of the lights were off, but he heard voices coming from the main room. Peaking over the banister of the stairs, he saw Chloe sitting at her computer console, typing into the keyboard while Clark and Oliver watched. Some strange images flashed across the screen.

"The inhibitor affects his body's reaction to his powers. His metabolism is slowed down, he can't heal, and I can almost guarantee that if he tried to run in his condition it wouldn't work," Chloe said. "The doctor and I agree that simply waiting for his body to flush the chemical is our best option…unless we feel like attacking Lex and demanded an answer."

"I wish," Oliver muttered darkly.

"So we just wait?" Clark asked skeptically. "Do you have any idea how hard that'll be to keep him calm?"

Chloe sighed. "I know it'll be hard, but we don't have any other option. Bart's just going to have to relax until we get this all figured out. We don't know how long the inhibitor will affect him, or what might happen if he tries pushing his limits before his body's fully healed."

Bart gripped the railing, wishing he hadn't heard anything. So they were talking about him behind his back, worrying about how to keep him calm? He would make sure they had nothing to worry about. Turning around, he looked down the hallway. His legs felt fine, the strongest they'd been in days, but he was still nervous. Taking a deep breath, he reached inside himself for the power and attempted to run back to the infirmary. A sharp explosion of pain then blackness.

"Morning sleepy head," AC teased as Bart walked into the kitchen, bleary eyed and pale. Bart flipped him off as he sat down at the table, resting his head on his arms.

"How much sleep did you get last night?" Oliver asked, eyeing Bart's prone form.

"Enough," Bart mumbled.

"What's the plan?" Clark asked, leaning against the wall.

"I found another 33.1 facility," Chloe replied as she walked in the room. "Heavily guarded, isolated location, and Lex arrived there 20 minutes ago."

"This should be fun," Victor said.

"It's one of our most important missions," Oliver said, eyes blazing with excitement as he began to lay out his plan of attack.

Bart tried to listen to what Oliver was saying, but it was like he was underwater and couldn't properly hear what was being said. He closed his eyes, wishing the world would stop spinning long enough for him to get grounded.

"Bart?" Chloe asked, placing her hand on his shoulder. Bart jerked upright, looking around the empty room. "Wanna come help me?"

Bart nodded. Chloe looked at him for a second before leading the way into the main room. She sat down in front of the monitor, beginning to flip through building schematics and floor plans.

"Green Arrow to Watch Tower, all good on the home front?" Oliver asked, his voice coming through loud and clear from the speakers.

"All good," Chloe said, glancing at Bart before returning to her work. "The building looks fairly simple, it has the same floor design as most of the other facilities."

"How many guards are stationed around the perimeter?" Oliver asked.

Chloe opened a program that showed little red dots all around the building, congregating in certain areas. A few were moving.

"Looks like there's about thirty guards on the perimeter, and a few more inside. I'd say forty-five total," Chloe replied.

"Alright. Cutting communication until phase one is complete," Oliver said before the radio went silent. Chloe turned in her chair, looking straight at Bart.

"I'm sure everything will be back to normal soon," she said. She was glad they had a chance to talk, just the two of them. Ever since Bart had tried to run in the hall and failed, he'd retreated further and further into himself.

"I'm fine," Bart said, sitting down in one of the spare chairs.

"No, you aren't. You're not sleeping, you're never hungry, I can't remember the last time you smiled…Bart, I'm worried about you," Chloe said.

"Well don't be!" Bart shouted, standing up and pacing to the window. He looked out at Metropolis, wishing that he was out there, running, free. He'd never felt so trapped before. Trapped in his own body, unable to escape the nagging thoughts of 'what if this lasts forever?'

"Bart, just let me help you," Chloe said, coming over and placing her hand on his shoulder. He didn't immediately shrug it off, which she thought was a good sign.

He sighed. "Do you have any idea what it's like to have this amazing power and then it's just gone?"

Chloe smiled sadly to herself. "Yah, I do."

"Well I hate it," Bart said, walking back to the monitor. Chloe watched him, saw the way he tensed, his body wanting to run faster than humanly possible. The inhibitor didn't just take his power; it took a part of him.

"You just have to be patient," Chloe said, wishing she had more than encouraging words to offer him. She wanted to cure him, put her hand on his arm and absorb the foul chemical that was ruining his life. But her power was gone.

"Patient?" Bart asked, finally looking at her. Chloe saw the pain written all over his face, the desire for things to be the way they used to. "You want me to be patient? You want me to just sit around and wait for my power to come back? Screw you Chloe."

"Bart, please…" Chloe said, reaching out for him. But he was already heading for the door. He grabbed the handle, and stopped.

"I hate this place. It used to be home…now it's a cell," he whispered, before opening the door and walking down the stairs. Chloe stood frozen, even after the door was closed and he was long gone.

"Watch Tower, do you read?" Oliver said, his voice echoing loudly in the empty room. Chloe blinked, mentally shaking herself. The others still needed her.

"This is Watch Tower, I read you," Chloe replied as she sat down in her chair, checking the heat signatures on the screen. Most were clumped together in one spot.

"What took so long?" Oliver demanded.

"Bart…he's gone," Chloe replied. "I don't know where he went, he just left."

Oliver swore, and in the background she could hear the sound of an arrow thudding heavily against something she hoped was made of wood and not flesh.

"Alright, well the facility was a bust. Completely empty except for the guards, and Lex was already gone when we got here," Oliver said. "We'll be back soon, and we can start looking for him."

"Okay. I'll follow his GPS," Chloe said, beginning to search for Bart's GPS signal in Metropolis. She hoped he wouldn't try using his power again, but she couldn't be sure. He was obviously upset.

"This isn't your fault," Clark said, breaking into her thoughts.

"We'll find him," Oliver added.

"He's headed north," Chloe said, all business. She didn't have time to feel bad about the situation, she needed to find Bart and have him brought back safely. If something happened to him…


	5. Chapter 5

The warehouse was exactly as Bart remembered; old machinery left piled everywhere, most of the windows boarded up, the noise of scurrying mice echoing in the lofted ceiling.

He knew he wouldn't be able to hide from the others for long, especially Chloe, but the thought of rejoining them while being powerless made him feel sick. He hadn't being so helpless.

The sound of a heavy boot crunching on the gravel outside should've instantly alerted Bart, but he hardly noticed. Only when the tazer gun shot him in the back did he realize he was caught.

* * *

><p>Bright overhead lights blinded Bart as he slowly regained consciousness, looking around for any clue as to where he was.<p>

"Morning sleepy head," Lex said as he walked towards Bart. "Do you like it? The exact same cage I trapped you in before."

Bart slowly sat up, his body tensing and telling him to run away. But he knew he wouldn't be much of a fight.

"I heard about you losing your power," Lex continued, acting as if he was having a nice chat with an old friend. "The inhibitor is a beautiful little toy I've been working on."

"Yah, thanks so much for that," Bart said sarcastically, standing up and watching as Lex walked around the cage.

"Well, you were the one who killed one of my guards. I watched the video. He was surrendering. Obviously your mentors have taught you to take no prisoners," Lex said.

Bart froze, his mind flashing back to the awful moment when he rolled upright and looked at the man lying dead on the ground beside him.

"I'd like you to meet Doctor Kazmer, he's the genius behind the serum," Lex introduced. A balding man in his late forties walked forward, watching Bart closely. "He'd like to run some tests, and I promised him you'd be on your best behavior."

"I'm sorry to disappoint," Bart sneered. Lex grabbed a remote, and suddenly Bart was on the floor, writhing as electricity raced through his body. Then the pain was over and he was lying gasping on the floor, his whole body aching.

"Don't push me," Lex said. He handed the remote to the doctor, then turned and left the room. Bart stood back up, hoping that was the last time he would find himself on the floor that day.

"Let's begin," the doctor said, grabbing a syringe.

* * *

><p>"So what's so important that you have to show us?" Clark asked as he walked into the main room of Watchtower, followed by Oliver, AC and Victor.<p>

Chloe was sitting in her chair in front of multiple monitors. She pulled up a video and pressed play as the guys surrounded her.

"This is a video feed from a bank downtown, this morning," she explained. As the group watched, a blur raced through the bank, leaving behind a whirlwind of paper and quite a few shocked customers.

"Wow," AC said. "We haven't dealt with a speedster except…Bart." It was quiet for a moment, everyone wrapped up in their own thoughts.

"Did you see that?" Clark asked, pointing at the screen. Chloe paused the video, showing a blurry face of the robber. After a little tweaking, she cleaned up the image.

Everyone froze, staring at the screen. Bart was the robber, standing in the center of the bank with a bag of money in each hand.

"There's got to be an explanation," Chloe said, looking around at the rest of the team.

"Maybe it's time we start figuring out why he hasn't come back yet," Victor said. "It's been almost two weeks and no sign of him."

"I don't believe that," Chloe argued.

"Me neither," Clark agreed.

"Can you track where he went after the bank?" Oliver asked.

"I'll try," Chloe replied, beginning to search through the video surveillances from the surrounding blocks.

"We have a problem," Chloe said. Everyone looked at her. "After he left the bank, he was picked up by a black SUV and then I lost it in the traffic."

"He's working again," Oliver said. "Can you pull the license plate number?"

"That's the problem," Chloe replied. "The SUV is registered to Lex through his company…Bart's involved with 33.1."


	6. Chapter 6

"I thought our arrangement was perfect. You go on your little missions while Doctor Kazmer has a chance to perfect the inhibitor, all while your friends don't know where you are," Lex said, pacing in front of Bart's cage.

Bart was on the floor once again, muscles still twitching from the last jolt.

"Then you go and let yourself be seen!" Lex yelled, pressing the button. Bart cried out in spite of himself, the pain building till he thought he'd burst.

A guard rushed into the room. "Sir, there's a disturbance at the west gate," he said.

"Great!" Lex snapped. "If this is a rescue squad, I'll pump you full of enough electricity to stop your heart before they even know you're here!"

Lex left the room, followed by the guard. Bart raised himself upright, watching the doctor who was wringing his hands nervously, glancing at the door.

"I didn't sign up for this you know," he said, looking at Bart. "I just wanted to create something so amazing, the scientific community would never doubt my credentials again."

"Yah, Lex has a way of twisting people's dreams," Bart said. He was tired, body barely functioning through the pain and exhaustion.

The doctor watched Bart place his hands against the glass of the cage, checking for steel reinforcements. When he saw there were none, Bart used what little energy he had left to crash through the glass and land on the ground. He staggered to his feet, brushing the shards off.

"Not as elegant as I had hoped," he said, smiling for the first time in ages. The doctor just stared in amazement.

"You should probably get out of here," Bart said. The doctor nodded, beginning to agree, when suddenly the loud gunshot rang through the air. Bart watched as the doctor crumpled to the ground, a red stain blossoming on his chest. His eyes stared upward, blank. Bart looked up in time to see a guard fire at him, and even though he knew he was faster than the bullet, his legs didn't seem able to move. His mind was blank, body uncomprehending as the bullet tore into his side.

The pain kick-started everything, and before he knew what he was doing, Bart was racing away. But things were weird. The world around felt like molasses, clinging to him and making speeding away difficult.

He tripped a few times, and when he did finally fall, it took twice as much effort as normal to get back to his feet. Bart looked around, surprised to find himself at Clark's, standing in the barn. The stairs to the loft were right in front of him, and he shuffled forward, exhaustion setting in. He just wanted to lie down and sleep forever. But something drove him on. He didn't stop till he had forced his leaden legs to lift him up the last step.

Everything tilted and he found himself on his hands and knees, staring hard at the floor. He crawled forward, the world around him blurry. Finally he couldn't go anymore and laid down, rolling onto his back.

Bart couldn't tell what was real or not in his fevered brain. Things kept sliding in and out of focus as he drifted between unconsciousness and awake, his heavy eyelids struggling to stay open. At one point he thought Lex stood over him, then a pillar of fire that reached out and scorched his side. Black dots danced on his vision, and slowly he relaxed, allowing the pain and darkness to pull him under.

* * *

><p>"He could be anywhere!" Chloe said, panicking. She paced back and forth, wearing a hole in the floor of Watchtower.<p>

"Split up, teams of two. Chloe, you coordinate. Cover everywhere we know Bart might go," Oliver ordered. He turned to Clark. "Let's go check your place."

The two hurried to Oliver's car. It would be faster to split up and have everyone go their own way, but since Bart had disappeared team safety was a much bigger concern.

"He'd go to the barn first," Clark said as they roared down the road, cutting off cars and swerving around traffic. He was slightly amazed at Oliver's driving skills and how quickly he was getting them out of Metropolis.

The trip took much less time than it should, thanks to Oliver's mad racing and incessant need to cut others off. He'd barely thrown the car into park before he and Clark were racing into the barn and up the steps to the loft, both going into overprotective mode when they spotted the unconscious teen on the floor in front of them.

"Bart, hey can you hear me?" Clark asked, kneeling beside the speedster. Bart mumbled something, but his eyes stayed close.

"Come on, you need to wake up," Oliver said, kneeling on Bart's other side. The kid was a mess; dried blood caked on the side of his head, his clothes torn and dirty, blood coming from a wound on his side.

"M'wake," Bart slurred, blinking slowly up at them.

"We need to get you to the hospital, think you can stand?" Clark asked even though he already knew the answer. There was no way Bart was leaving the barn under his own power.

"Bart mumbled something, then his eyes slid closed. "No, you have to stay awake," Clark said, lightly tapping his cheek.

"Tired," Bart whined. He sounded so young and vulnerable.

"Alright, come on buddy," Oliver said, gently scooping Bart up in his arms. The movement jostled the wound on his side and he whimpered. "It's okay, I got you," Oliver soothed.

"You sure?" Clark asked, ready to help in case the archer's strength failed.

"Yah, he's a lightweight," Oliver replied. Clark followed him down the steps and opened the side door so Oliver could get Bart positioned as comfortably as possible in the back seat. They were soon racing back down the road to Metropolis and the nearest hospital.

Clark grabbed his cell phone. "Chloe, we found him. Tell AC and Victor and meet us at General," he explained.

"Oh god, is he okay?" Chloe asked.

"Just meet us there," Clark replied before hanging up. He closed his phone and looked back at Bart, who's eyes were closed.

"Hurry," he said to Oliver.

* * *

><p>"How is he?" Chloe demanded, rushing into the waiting room and right for Clark and Oliver.<p>

"Surgery," Oliver replied. He stood with his arms crossed, body tense and rigid. To anyone else it would appear he was angry. But Chloe saw that the anger masked his true emotion: terror.

"He was shot, and had lost a lot of blood," Clark said. Chloe nodded, numb.

"AC and Victor are on their way," she said, feeling herself deflate. Now that Bart had been found, a knot in her chest loosened its hold. She felt like she could breathe for the first time since he had left. But in its place a sheer panic gripped her. The possibility of Bart being seriously injured made her knees shake and stomach clench.

"He'll be alright," Clark said, seeing the look on her face. She sat down beside him, grabbing his hand like it was a lifeline.

AC and Victor soon arrived, both shocked to hear about Bart's condition and joining the group waiting for word on their favorite speedster.

The doctor walked out into the waiting room, making a beeline for Oliver who was technically Bart's legal guardian.

"Is Bart okay?" Clark asked, standing up.

"He's going to be fine," the doctor replied. "I was able to remove the bullet and repair the damage. On top of that injury, he has a few minor bruises and a concussion, but with rest he'll be back to normal in no time."

"Can we go see him?" Chloe asked.

"Yes, if you all promise not to excite him," the doctor replied before walking away.

The group headed down the hall in silence, and when Clark pushed open the door everyone froze for a second, suddenly unsure of how to proceed. Clark led the way inside, but it was Chloe who got to Bart first.

"Hey Bart," she whispered, sitting on the edge of his bed. She could see the bandage around his chest peeking past the blankets that covered him, hiding the brunt of his injuries.

"Hey beautiful," he mumbled, smiling at her.

"It's good to see you mate," AC said.

"Yah, the gang was boring without you," Victor added.

Bart smiled. "Sorry I'm so popular."

"How are you feeling?" Clark asked.

"Tired, and sore," Bart replied. "My metabolism burns off the drugs faster than normal, but I didn't want to disclose too much to the good doctor."

"We'll get you set up at home," Oliver said, visibly more relaxed than he had been in weeks.

"Only if Victor promises to make his amazing pancakes," Bart said.

"Deal," Victor promised.

Bart paused, suddenly looking serious. "Look, guys, I'm sorry for what I put you through. Running off like that wasn't a smart idea, and just made it easier for Lex to catch up with me."

"All we care about is your safety," Chloe said, taking his hand in hers. "We've all been so worried about you, but now that you're back everything's going to be alright. I promise."

"Let's get you out of here," Oliver said, glad they were all together once again. They could face anything, as long as they had each other.


	7. Chapter 7

[A/N: I just couldn't leave this story alone...so here's some more!]

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Victor whispered. They were standing on the rafters above a large warehouse workroom, watching Lex's guards and scientists scurry around below them.

Oliver nodded. "It's our only chance to get more info on 33.1"

"Well I'm just saying Lex used Impulse as target practice barely two weeks ago, it might be a bit early to send the kid back in," Victor said.

"I think I've got it covered," Bart said through their com link, suddenly zooming into the room. Oliver and Victor watched as he slammed into a guard, sending him flying into a wall. Then Bart grabbed a vial of some chemical they had been testing and was gone.

"Showtime," Oliver said, shooting an arrow at the main lights which sparked before blowing out. The scientists ran from the room, closely followed by the guards.

"That was easy," Victor said, looking around.

"Too easy...guys there's a bomb!" Chloe yelled. Oliver and Victor sprang into action, Oliver using his bow to set an anchor and zipline down to the floor, Victor effortlessly landing beside him.

"Showoff," Oliver said.

"Can you argue about who's cooler later?" Chloe demanded.

"We're on our way out. Is the building clear?" Oliver asked as they ran down the hallway towards the main exit.

"Boy Sco working on that right now," Chloe replied, watching on a separate monitor as Clark tried to reason with a group of scientists who'd locked themselves in their lab.

"Where's Impulse and Aquaman?" Victor asked.

"Aquaman is helping Boy Scout," Chloe replied. "Um guys, Impulse just went back in the building and he isn't responding to me."

"Bart, what are you doing?" Oliver demanded as he and Victor reached the front door.

"I'll get him," Clark said, leaving Aquaman to bust down the door and effectively herd everyone outside.

"You've got thirty seconds," Chloe said, nervously watching the timer count down. Clark scanned the building with his x-ray vision, seeing Bart in one of the small labs.

Clark rushed to him. "Bart, we've gotta go!" he shouted. Bart turned to look at him.

"I can get the bomb out of here,"Bart said, looking back at the square box sitting on the floor in front of him.

"It's okay, we've almost cleared the building," Clark said, taking a step forward. Bart reached down and grabbed the box.

"We don't have time to get everyone to safety," Bart replied. "But I'm fast enough to get it far enough away from here."

"I'll go with you," Clark said.

"Just try to catch up," Bart said, smiling before he was gone in a red blur, Clark racing after him. Bart led the way to the ocean, Clark barely able to keep him in his sight.

"Five seconds!" Chloe yelled, and Clark pushed himself the fastest he'd ever gone, barely able to catch up with Bart as they ran on the water. Bart threw the bomb forward, and Clark grabbed him, trying to shield him from the blast.

Then there was nothing but fire and heat and pain, and together they floated in the ocean.


	8. Chapter 8

"Chloe, you need to get some rest," Oliver said.

"Not till Clark wakes up," Chloe replied replied stubbornly. She held Clark's hand in hers, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest.

"He just needs time to heal," Oliver said, grabbing a chair and pulling it next to Chloe. "The kryptonite in the bomb should've killed him, but Clark's strong. He'll be okay."

Chloe nodded, trying to believe what Oliver was saying. But seeing AC pull Clark out of the ocean, shards of kryptonite embedded in his back, was making it hard.

"Any news on Bart?" she asked, looking at Oliver.

"AC and Victor tracked him to Star City then they lost him. He still has his GPS but who knows how long that'll last," Oliver replied, sighing.

"He'll come back to us," Chloe said, turning back to Clark. "They both will."

* * *

><p>Bart felt the burning in his legs, his body telling him to stop and rest, but he ignored everything except the one desire to escape. Escape Metropolis, escape America, escape from the nightmare playing over and over in his head of the bomb exploding and Clark shielding him from the blast.<p>

Suddenly he stopped, looking around. He was somewhere in South America, on an empty beach. The pull of unconsciousness was growing stronger as he made his way towards a clump of small trees. He knew he was a wreck; his left arm was broken and there was a gash on his forehead that wouldn't stop bleeding, and he wasn't healing like usual. But that wouldn't stop him. Nothing would. He had to find Lex, had to make him pay for hurting Clark.

Using the trees as shelter, he laid down in the warm sand, feeling his body slowly relax. He held his arm against his chest, trying to keep it steady. His ribs screamed at the movement but he ignored the pain, pushing it away from himself. As long as he kept going nothing would stop him from finding Lex and killing him. Then he could return to the team, and maybe they'd forgive him.

As he fell asleep, the movie in his head started playing, picking up where it always did. The bomb was about to go off, and then Clark was there, shielding him as an explosion threw them back towards the shore. They sank below the waves as the shrapnel rained down around them, the large fireball fading away to nothing. Bart tried to swim to the surface, but Clark wasn't moving and that's when he realized something was wrong.

Grabbing Clark with his good arm, Bart was hardly able to drag his head above the surface. They floated there for what felt like hours, Bart slipping in and out of unconsciousness. Then he heard shouts, and a boat was coming, and the team was suddenly there. AC jumped in the water, grabbing Bart.

"Take Clark!" Bart said, and AC quickly pulled Clark over to the boat where Oliver and Victor hoisted Clark in. Bart was barely able to stay awake as AC swam back to him.

"It's okay, I got you," AC said as he looped an arm around Bart and soon Oliver was pulling him up into the boat and they were racing back to the shore.

"The bomb was laced with kryptonite!" Victor yelled over the noise of the engine, having scanned Clark for injuries.

"Chloe, we're almost there!" Oliver yelled into his com link. Bart felt himself slide sideways till he was lying on his side, watching the world through a haze. Clark was injured because of him.

"Bart, are you hurt?" AC asked, kneeling beside him.

"All my fault," Bart whispered, the edges of his vision going black. "All my fault."

The rest of the ride was a blur, then there was a flurry of activity when they reached the dock as doctors rushed forward. They loaded Clark on a backboard and strapped him down then rushed him to a waiting helicopter. Oliver followed, shouting orders. AC and Victor helped Bart to his feet and he cried out as they jostled his left arm.

"We have to get you to the helicopter," AC said, knowing Bart hated being carried but also that he was injured and needed their help.

"Tell Clark I'm sorry," Bart said, climbing out of the boat. As soon as he was on the dock he was running, ignoring the shouts from AC and Victor. He knew it was his fault Clark was hurt, and the rest of the team knew it just as well as he did. The only option left was to find Lex and hurt him as bad as he hurt Clark. Then Bart could rest.

* * *

><p>Bart's eyes snapped open, ending the dream. He laid there for a while, listening to the sound of the waves and the seagulls. Everything was so peaceful. Then he coughed, feeling his ribs shift. He curled up in agony, trying to suppress the cough so the burning in his chest would stop. After a few moments when he was able to breathe again he slowly got to his hands and knees and using a tree he was able to stand up. The world spun around him and he closed his eyes, waiting for everything to stop. He had to get moving, he had a lot of ground to cover.<p>

He pulled out his phone, surprised to see a missed call from Oliver and a voice mail.

"Bart, come back to Metropolis. We can talk. You aren't in any shape to be running around the world. I know you, I know you blame yourself for what happened to Clark, but it wasn't your fault. So just come back. We're all worried about you," Oliver said.

Bart sighed, closing his phone. He slipped it into his backpack, tightening the straps. He took a few shallow breaths then he was off, racing towards the next destination.

"He's going to all known locations Lex has ever been to," Victor said. Oliver paced the room, deep in thought.

"It's like Bart's hunting Lex," AC added.

"That's exactly what he's doing," Oliver said, stopping to look at them. "Lex knew the kryptonite in that bomb could kill Clark, that's why he used it. The lab was a diversion. Clark was the real target."

"And Bart thinks if he finds Lex he can what, make him apologize?" Victor asked.

"He's going to kill him," Chloe said. The three of them turned to see her standing in the door.

"Bart's not a killer," AC said.

"Lex just tried to kill one of Bart's closest friends. And Bart's injured and not thinking straight. If he finds Lex, who knows what he might do," Oliver said.

"We have to find Lex before Bart does," Victor said.

"I'm all for killing Lex, but it won't help Clark," Chloe said. "And it'll ruin Bart's life. Lex has caused enough damage, but he isn't worth it."

"Let's find Lex then," Oliver said.


	9. Chapter 9

[A/N: This story just keeps going! Hope everyone enjoys, and thanks for all the reviews!]

"First he went to Star City, then Rio, Mexico City, Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, Boston, and now he's in Chicago," Victor said, looking at the map on his computer. He was tracking a red dot that was currently not moving.

"There's got to be more locations," AC said.

"Lex frequents the Caribbean," Chloe said, typing away at her computer.

"Bingo!" Victor shouted. "I just hacked his laptop, the IP address is in the Bahamas!"

"Alright let's go!" Oliver ordered. Everyone sprang into action, grabbing their gear.

"I'll run Watchtower," Chloe said.

"Let us know if there's any changes," Oliver said. She nodded, watching as they hurried to the elevator.

"I'll keep tracking Bart," Victor said as they headed to the jet. "If we're lucky, we can capture Lex then go get the kid."

"And if we aren't?" AC asked.

Oliver pulled a syringe out of his pocket. "Doctor Matthews gave me a heavy sedative and if I have to use it I will."

* * *

><p>"Tell me where your boss is," Bart said, standing over the man. He had been guarding one of Lex's hideouts in downtown Chicago that Bart had managed to track down.<p>

"I don't know, I swear!" the man replied, cowering on the floor. Bart had easily busted down the door and sent the guy flying into a wall, then flipped him over onto his back in barely three seconds. Anyone would be a little freaked out after such brutal handling.

"I'll give you ten seconds to think of a better answer," Bart growled. He knew he looked like hell, and considering how easily he'd defeated the guard, he figured the man would tell him what he needed to know.

"He owns an island in the Bahamas!" the man yelled. "Sometimes he goes there to get away from everyone."

Bart paused, thinking. He could be there in about four hours, two if he really pushed himself.

"You've been a great help," he said, turning and leaving.

As he ran, Bart tried to ignore the throbbing in his arm, the deep ache in his lungs every time he breathed, or the searing pain in his chest. Nothing was going to stop him from finding Lex. Nothing.

"He's on the move," Victor said, watching as Bart's GPS signal suddenly began to move away from Chicago.

"Can you tell where he's headed?" Oliver asked.

"South, maybe Florida," Victor replied.

"You do realize what's about two hours from Miami right?" AC asked.

"He must've found out about Lex's island," Oliver said. "I'll go talk to the pilot."

* * *

><p>The island was beautiful, palm trees swaying in the light breeze of a sunny afternoon. But Bart ignored it all, focusing instead on the gigantic mansion built right on the beach which competed with the original Luthor home in Metropolis for most extravagant and expensive. It made Bart sick. Lex had furthered his family's empire on the capture and torture of meteor freaks. But after today, it would all be over.<p>

Bart hardly noticed the guards approach him. It was like he was vibrating, all his pent up rage and frustration making it hard for him to stay still. He shoved the two men aside, continuing up the path to the house.

"Stop right there!" A guard yelled, aiming his gun at Bart. He looked at the gun, watched as the man pulled the trigger, but he was too slow. Bart was already in the house, having ran straight through the door.

"Well this is a nice surprise," Lex said, watching Bart as he walked into the room. Thirty men faced him, each aiming their gun at him. "Doctor Kazmer was ordered to kill you. Though you look a little worse for wear."

"I'm still the fastest man alive," Bart growled, warily keeping an eye on all the guns.

"Do you really think you're invincible?" Lex asked. "Even you can't dodge all these bullets."

"I can try," Bart snarled, bracing himself. He'd been shot once, he wasn't thrilled about repeating the experience. But he wasn't going to let anything stand in the way of him stopping Lex.

He darted forward and grabbed the gun from the nearest guard then turned and ran back out the door and around the house, slamming through the plate glass window. He pressed the gun against Lex's temple.

"Guess I'm invincible after all," Bart said. The guards turned, shocked to see their boss captured.

"Toss your guns out the window!" Bart yelled. The men complied, throwing their guns out the smashed window.

"Everyone out!" Bart ordered, pressing the gun harder into Lex's temple when a few hesitated. The men quickly left the room, and Bart relaxed.

The sound of a jet suddenly alerted Bart that they were about to have company. "Did you send for backup?" he demanded, pushing Lex down so he was kneeling in front of him.

"No, I swear," Lex replied. Bart sped over to the window, looking at the landing strip where the jet had just taxied. He cursed when he saw Oliver, AC and Victor disembark and hurry towards the house.

"Looks like your teammates are coming to join the party," Lex said as he stood up, wiping the dust off his shirt. "What's your great plan?"

"Shut up!" Bart yelled, turning and shooting Lex in the shoulder. Lex grunted, clutching his shoulder in pain.

Suddenly Oliver, AC and Victor burst into the room. "Drop the gun!" Oliver yelled. He held his bow in one hand, an arrow in the other.

"You gonna shoot me?" Bart asked, looking around at his former teammates. He knew they blamed him for what happened to Clark, but couldn't they see that getting rid of Lex would solve all their problems?

"I don't want to," Oliver replied, taking a few slow steps forward. "Why don't you put down the gun and we can talk."

Bart aimed the gun at Lex, who held up a bloody hand in surrender. "We can talk once he's dead."

"Come on kid, I know you don't want to do this," AC said.

"I have to!" Bart yelled. "Lex has hurt enough people. It's time he paid."

"This isn't the way!" Victor argued. "Boy Scout wouldn't want it."

Bart froze at those words. He stared hard at Lex, his mind whirling. Clark wouldn't want this. He'd want Bart to continue fighting, to use his power for good rather than revenge.

But Lex had almost killed Clark. Someday he might succeed. Bart couldn't take that chance.

Before he had a chance to fire, there was a stabbing pain in the back of his neck. Bart jerked away, and AC took the opportunity to rush forward and grab the gun.

"I'm sorry," Oliver apologized, and as Bart felt his knees give way the archer was there to catch him. He tried to fight against his exhaustion, but it was a losing battle. There was the sound of handcuffs then Oliver was lifting him off the floor. Bart groaned when the movement jostled his ribs.

"It's okay I got you," Oliver said, wrapping an arm around his waist and helping him out to the jet. Bart relied heavily on Oliver, and he knew he wouldn't be upright without the support.

Bart felt hollow inside. The fire that had been driving him onward was suddenly gone, leaving nothing in its place except pain. His arm throbbed, his ribs ached, and each breath tore at his lungs. Oliver helped him lie down on the couch, and he bit back a cry as his ribs shifted.

"Just relax, we'll be back in Metropolis soon," Oliver said, watching him with concern. Bart struggled against his heavy eyelids, fighting to stay awake, but exhaustion finally pulled him under.


	10. Chapter 10

[A/N: Last chapter! Hope everyone enjoys!]

The pain was what woke him up. Hot, burning pain that radiated from his arm and spread up his shoulder and into his chest, making breathing torture.

"Bart, can you hear me?" someone asked, and Bart fought to open his eyes. He blinked up at Oliver, surprised to see how haggard and tired the team leader looked.

"Hey," Bart sighed, grimacing as another wave of pain shot through his body.

"Relax, you're at the hospital," Oliver said.

"I'm fine," Bart lied, struggling to sit up. His vision blacked out and he felt himself fall back. Oliver was saying something, but Bart was more focused on breathing. It felt like something was crushing his chest, keeping his lungs from expanding. He heard someone yelling, then blackness.

* * *

><p>He wasn't sure how much time passed, but the next time he woke up Bart felt something inflate his chest with air, then slowly deflate. Panicked, his eyes shot open, looking around in alarm. He was in a hospital room, surrounded by machines that blinked and hissed at him. The sound of a door opening and footsteps hurrying towards him ratcheted up his fear, and he could hear his heartbeat soar.<p>

"Bart! You have to calm down!" Oliver ordered, leaning over him. "One of your lungs collapsed, so the doctor inserted a chest tube."

Bart looked down, seeing a plastic tube snake out of the side of his chest and towards one of the machines. He reached out, trying to touch it, but Oliver took his hand and laid it back on the bed.

"Once your lung has a chance to heal we can remove it," Oliver explained. "You're still pretty sick."

Bart tugged the oxygen mask off his face. "How bad?" he whispered.

Oliver sighed. "You pushed yourself too hard."

"Had...to find Lex," Bart argued. He knew he had been going pretty hard, but it was worth it.

"Don't worry about Lex, the cops have him in custody in relation to the bombing at his factory," Oliver said.

"Clark?" Bart asked, fearing the answer.

The door suddenly opened and AC, Victor and Chloe walked in.

"It's good to see you awake," Victor said.

Bart looked at Chloe, expecting to see anger or resentment in her eyes, but was surprised to see worry instead.

"Clark's still unconscious back at Watchtower, but he just needs more time to purge the kryptonite from his system," Oliver said. Bart nodded, blinking back tears. Clark was still hurt. He hadn't fixed anything at all.

Chloe walked forwards, sitting on the edge of his bed and taking his hand in hers. "Clark's going to be okay," she said. "Believe me, he's going to be okay."

Bart stared hard at the ceiling, fighting back the emotions swirling around inside him. He had never felt so guilty in his life.

"We'll let you get some rest," Oliver said, leading AC and Victor out of the room.

Chloe began running her fingers through his hair, her blue eyes full of concern. "What were you thinking?" she asked.

"All my fault," Bart replied, finally looking at her. "It's...all my fault." The guilt was suddenly too much to bear. Bart felt the tears begin to slide down his cheeks.

"It's okay," Chloe said, leaning forward and wrapping him in her arms. She was careful not to jostle him, but knew he needed the physical contact.

"Shh, shh, I'm here," she said, holding him as the sobs wracked his body. "Just breathe."

"He almost died because of me," Bart cried.

"Clark would've done the exact same thing for any one of us, it's just who he is," Chloe said. "You can't blame yourself for an accident."

Slowly Bart's tears slowed. "Do you blame me?" he asked.

Chloe straightened up, looking at him hard. "I could never blame you for what happened. I'm just glad you're alright."

"I need...to see him," he said.

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea. You're still pretty sick," Chloe replied.

"Please. I'll go by myself if I have to," Bart begged.

"Just rest for right now. Once you're feeling better we can take you back to Watchtower," Chloe replied. Bart nodded. He felt the drugs in his IV kicking in and slowly dropped off to sleep.

Oliver walked back into the room, grabbing a chair and sitting down next to Bart's bed.

"What did the doctor say?" Chloe asked.

"He's lucky to be alive," Oliver replied. "Pneumonia, collapsed lung, four broken ribs, broken arm, dislocated shoulder and severe dehydration."

"He's exhausted," Chloe said, brushing the hair away from Bart's forehead. He looked so fragile lying there, monitors and tubes surrounding him. She placed the oxygen mask back on his face.

"It'll be a long time before he's fully healed," Oliver said.

"He wants to see Clark," Chloe said, looking at Oliver.

"He's still too weak to move," Oliver replied. "But I'll see if Clark is up for a visit."

* * *

><p>In his fevered dreams, Bart watched the explosion play over and over again, all with the same ending; Clark floating in the water, unconscious and bleeding.<p>

Bart jerked awake, looking around him. Slowly his brain caught up with his surroundings. He was still in the hospital, the machines beeping at him. He slipped the oxygen mask off and gathered what little strength he had to throw off the blankets and slide his legs out of bed, forcing himself to stand up. Once he was vertical he nearly passed out but he stubbornly clung to consciousness. He had to see Clark.

The chest tube was attached to a small pump, and he was thankful it was on a cart with wheels. Using it for support, he grabbed his IV bag from the pole and headed for the door.

The simple action of putting one foot in front of the other nearly drained him as he made his way down the hall. He was pushing the cart with his right hand, his left arm in a cast and sling.

"What are you doing out of bed?" a nurse demanded, hurrying towards him.

"I have to go," Bart replied. He stumbled but the nurse was there to catch him, slowly lowering him to the floor.

"I need a gurney!" she yelled. Bart felt like he was floating as someone lifted him off the floor and whisked him away. The sensation of running lulled him into a hazy realm between sleep and awake.

"He was trying to leave," someone said, sounding like Clark. He was laid down on a bed, an oxygen mask placed on his face which instantly made breathing easier. He felt them check his chest tube then put something cold over his heart. A slow beeping noise suddenly filled the room.

"He's stabilizing," someone else commented.

"He didn't want to stay there," a third voice said, and Bart thought it sounded like Chloe. "He wanted to see you."

"I'm just glad I got there when I did," Clark replied. Bart didn't want to believe that Clark was really okay and standing there with the team. He forced his eyes open, squinting in the bright light.

"Bart? Can you hear me?" Oliver asked.

Bart pulled off the oxygen mask, licking his dry lips. "Yah," he croaked. "What...happened?"

"You were trying to leave the hospital," Clark replied, smiling at him.

"Being stubborn as usual," Victor teased.

Bart stared at Clark, unsure if he was dreaming or not. Clark looked okay. He looked more than okay, he looked like he had before the bomb went off.

"How are you feeling?" Chloe asked.

"Fine," Bart replied, trying to sit up and grimacing in pain as his body refused.

Clark was there, hand resting on his shoulder. "You shouldn't try to move for a while," he said.

"Good idea," Bart wheezed, trying to breathe through the tightness in his chest.

"The whole point of telling you to rest means you actually stay in bed and rest," Oliver said.

"You know me...always looking for an adventure," Bart replied. He was already tired even though he'd been fully awake for only a few minutes.

"Get some sleep, we'll be here when you wake up," Clark said. Bart nodded, exhaustion pulling him under. The last thing he saw before he fell asleep was his teammates all gathered around his bed, watching over him. Finally everything was back to normal, or as close to it as possible.


End file.
